The paper said a senior Somali government official confirmed the raid, saying, "The attack was carried out by the American forces and the Somali government was pre-informed about the attack."
I doubt that it is because I "missed the point." If anything I think it is more the reverse, which is pointing out the disparity which you capture. Just a limited slice of the surveillance in the Chinese police state dwarfs the total US signals intelligence effort in headcount. And then they are performing a function that doesn't really exist in the US at that. Some people get angry at the very idea that the US might not be, "teh worst thing eva."*
*I hate that I wrote that, but I think it captures the mindset.
Slashdot would be a better place if more people did what you did - objective moderation. I've muttered disbelief at some of the positive mods I've made myself, as in, "I can't believe that guy made a valid point." I am honored by your action, and overlook your insult. Your action speaks well of you. Have a great week.
The whole world isn't "blind" since pretty much every country spies on other countries, including China, Russia, Iran, Europe (North, South, East, and West), South American, the US, Canada, India, take your pick.
No, it is the scientists, businessmen, and students doing the spying. That is how China does it. They have an espionage system that they compare to "a thousand grains of sand".
They are quite successful at it too. They have stolen everything from the most advanced US nuclear warhead design to advanced Russian anti-aircraft missile designs. They are not to be trifled with.
Hong Kong's social and political organization is protected by treaty for a period of time after the transfer from the UK. (50 years I think.) After that the Chinese government can do what they want, which will be to introduce "socialism." There is some small chance they will tread lightly due to Hong Kong being the "goose that laid the golden egg," but I wouldn't count on it. The Chinese government is patient. In a few decades Hong Kong will be just another part of China.
Do you bother to read the article? He's right. China is known for its massive spying in the US, Europe, and other places. This shouldn't be news to you if you are informed.
This is the Chinese government spying on its own people for the purposes of political repression, which has been the case there from the beginning. In fact the Communist Chinese government has quite of history of brutal repression. If you are "just sayin" anything other than that you are saying something stupid.
I think you do bring up a good point though - given that the federal government is becoming so ripe for abuse, its power in various areas should be diminished. This sort of arbitrary action just underscores that.
For the NSA? They are reported to have between 30,000 - 40,000 employees for everything that they do. Outside contracts will bump that up a bit, but it isn't going to get anywhere close to 2,000,000. Also note that the Chinese revelation is only for microblogging - essentially people watching Twitter or Twitter like services. That actual number of web monitors they have is probably quite a bit higher.
Nobody is going to stop the Chinese government from that spying so they lose nothing by it. The Chinese Communist Party is firmly in control. Also note that they are only admitting to what they do internally, just for micro-blogging, not the rest of the web. If you are somehow thinking that the Chinese government is more virtuous than the US government, you are very far off base. Very far.
Keep in mind that the number given for China is only the people that monitor web traffic. It doesn't include the secret police and their many informers. I doubt that overall China is less organized in that regard than East Germany was.
It is also worth noting that China has far more brutality in its past than East Germany. The People's Republic of China managed to kill about 65,000,000 of its own citizens. There are even instances of cannibalism as a demonstration or test of party loyalty - "eating the rich," so to speak.
East Germany's communist government is no longer in power. That same Chinese government is still in power, engages in massive espionage by spy and computer against many nations, is aiming nuclear missiles at the US, is building a fleet of aircraft carriers, claiming the territory of its neighbors, and many people say it will be the main power of the next century. Pleasant dreams.
No matter how it happened I think there is a bit of explaining that needs to be done regarding how a government agency's servers were used to sell consumer goods for two months. Nobody noticed? Really? Almost as interesting is either nobody reported it, or nobody took action on the reports. Once against, more explanations are needed.
Whatever you think of Obamacare, it was passed into law by a majority of both houses and the president's signature, just like the Constitution requires. Now the house R's, instead of trying to repeal the law, are instituting a tyranny of the minority.
Obamacare was passed on a straight party line vote by the Democrats. They had the majority of both houses of Congress at the time, and even then it took all manner of pork bribes to a few, as well as various threats and party discipline, to get it passed by legislative hook or crook. That is a big part of the reason that the law creating Obamacare has had so many screwed up provisions - nobody had time to read it, and they scraped together whatever bill they could get passed with the unusual maneuvers that they resorted to in the face of wide opposition. Now the Republicans have the majority in the House. You can't institute a "tyranny of the minority" if you are the majority party, which the Republicans are. The current Congress isn't bound by the decisions of a previous Congress, they can revisit whatever they choose to. The Democrats are doing it, and so are the Republicans.
You seem to be confused about the nature of House elections. There is no "popular vote" for House elections. Each vote is district by district. Excess votes in one district have no meaning in another. Excess votes in one state have no meaning in another. The Republicans have a majority in the House, period. They haven't lost any non-existent "popular vote."
The only way you have the power to perform redistricting in most states is to win elections. You're acknowledging that the Republicans are winning elections at the State level.
Personally I think one of the more useful amendments to the Constitution would be to limit Congressional district boundaries to something like no more than 6 line segments, the longest of which can be no more than 2x the others.
Hmmm, well then, it appears that didn't work out the way you planned. I feel amused, not insulted. Of course the important thing is that even if I had felt insulted, that still wouldn't alter the facts. I am slightly curious though, what is it that you think is odd about the post, since it is simply factual information. Is it the implication which might clash with your preconceptions? Or perhaps the unexpected nature of it? Or you just don't like it?
Due to the lapse in government funding, census.gov sites, services, and all online survey collection requests will be unavailable until further notice.
Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at usa.gov.
Websites affected by this shutdown are all census.gov hosted websites, including:
Census.gov American Factfinder Public API FTP Servers FAQs Blogs Online Surveys Federal Statistical Organization websites: FCSM, FedStats and MapStats
Why would you stop access to the data but leave the server running?
Well then, if you think human life is valuable you should be thankful that the US helped to defend the world from the real monsters. The US and its allies didn't defend themselves empty handed.
Slashdot Mirror
Hmmmm....
The paper said a senior Somali government official confirmed the raid, saying, "The attack was carried out by the American forces and the Somali government was pre-informed about the attack."
- Al Shabaab leader believed killed by U.S. commandos: NYTimes
I doubt that it is because I "missed the point." If anything I think it is more the reverse, which is pointing out the disparity which you capture. Just a limited slice of the surveillance in the Chinese police state dwarfs the total US signals intelligence effort in headcount. And then they are performing a function that doesn't really exist in the US at that. Some people get angry at the very idea that the US might not be, "teh worst thing eva."*
*I hate that I wrote that, but I think it captures the mindset.
Slashdot would be a better place if more people did what you did - objective moderation. I've muttered disbelief at some of the positive mods I've made myself, as in, "I can't believe that guy made a valid point." I am honored by your action, and overlook your insult. Your action speaks well of you. Have a great week.
He might need some of that hoard to pay for his defense. I don't know that going cheap on this will be in his interest.
The whole world isn't "blind" since pretty much every country spies on other countries, including China, Russia, Iran, Europe (North, South, East, and West), South American, the US, Canada, India, take your pick.
No, it is the scientists, businessmen, and students doing the spying. That is how China does it. They have an espionage system that they compare to "a thousand grains of sand".
They are quite successful at it too. They have stolen everything from the most advanced US nuclear warhead design to advanced Russian anti-aircraft missile designs. They are not to be trifled with.
Hong Kong's social and political organization is protected by treaty for a period of time after the transfer from the UK. (50 years I think.) After that the Chinese government can do what they want, which will be to introduce "socialism." There is some small chance they will tread lightly due to Hong Kong being the "goose that laid the golden egg," but I wouldn't count on it. The Chinese government is patient. In a few decades Hong Kong will be just another part of China.
Do you bother to read the article? He's right. China is known for its massive spying in the US, Europe, and other places. This shouldn't be news to you if you are informed.
Apparently the limited number of employees of the NSA is now "flamebait."
This is the Chinese government spying on its own people for the purposes of political repression, which has been the case there from the beginning. In fact the Communist Chinese government has quite of history of brutal repression. If you are "just sayin" anything other than that you are saying something stupid.
It is interesting to compare the treatment of the WW2 memorial versus the WW1 memorial.
WWII Memorial Barricade Wired Shut
Maybe because there is a perfectly good one that is already paid for? It is only being blocked as a political statement.
I think you do bring up a good point though - given that the federal government is becoming so ripe for abuse, its power in various areas should be diminished. This sort of arbitrary action just underscores that.
For the NSA? They are reported to have between 30,000 - 40,000 employees for everything that they do. Outside contracts will bump that up a bit, but it isn't going to get anywhere close to 2,000,000. Also note that the Chinese revelation is only for microblogging - essentially people watching Twitter or Twitter like services. That actual number of web monitors they have is probably quite a bit higher.
Nobody is going to stop the Chinese government from that spying so they lose nothing by it. The Chinese Communist Party is firmly in control. Also note that they are only admitting to what they do internally, just for micro-blogging, not the rest of the web. If you are somehow thinking that the Chinese government is more virtuous than the US government, you are very far off base. Very far.
Keep in mind that the number given for China is only the people that monitor web traffic. It doesn't include the secret police and their many informers. I doubt that overall China is less organized in that regard than East Germany was.
It is also worth noting that China has far more brutality in its past than East Germany. The People's Republic of China managed to kill about 65,000,000 of its own citizens. There are even instances of cannibalism as a demonstration or test of party loyalty - "eating the rich," so to speak.
East Germany's communist government is no longer in power. That same Chinese government is still in power, engages in massive espionage by spy and computer against many nations, is aiming nuclear missiles at the US, is building a fleet of aircraft carriers, claiming the territory of its neighbors, and many people say it will be the main power of the next century. Pleasant dreams.
At those prices, can you blame them? It must be a special government only deal!
No matter how it happened I think there is a bit of explaining that needs to be done regarding how a government agency's servers were used to sell consumer goods for two months. Nobody noticed? Really? Almost as interesting is either nobody reported it, or nobody took action on the reports. Once against, more explanations are needed.
Whatever you think of Obamacare, it was passed into law by a majority of both houses and the president's signature, just like the Constitution requires. Now the house R's, instead of trying to repeal the law, are instituting a tyranny of the minority.
Obamacare was passed on a straight party line vote by the Democrats. They had the majority of both houses of Congress at the time, and even then it took all manner of pork bribes to a few, as well as various threats and party discipline, to get it passed by legislative hook or crook. That is a big part of the reason that the law creating Obamacare has had so many screwed up provisions - nobody had time to read it, and they scraped together whatever bill they could get passed with the unusual maneuvers that they resorted to in the face of wide opposition. Now the Republicans have the majority in the House. You can't institute a "tyranny of the minority" if you are the majority party, which the Republicans are. The current Congress isn't bound by the decisions of a previous Congress, they can revisit whatever they choose to. The Democrats are doing it, and so are the Republicans.
Schumer: Democrats Won't Accept a Clean C.R. through 2014
Democrats Chose the Shutdown - And Republicans are within their legal and constitutional rights to act as they have
You're probably forgetting a little history, and a bit of the Constitution.
When Tip Did It - Tip O’Neill presided over two-thirds of the government shutdowns since 1976
Blame the Shutdown on James Madison - Gridlock is a feature, not a bug, of our system of separated powers
The Origins of the Origination Clause - The House’s power of the purse includes spending bills
I expect that you approved of Tip O’Neill's maneuvering.
You seem to be confused about the nature of House elections. There is no "popular vote" for House elections. Each vote is district by district. Excess votes in one district have no meaning in another. Excess votes in one state have no meaning in another. The Republicans have a majority in the House, period. They haven't lost any non-existent "popular vote."
The only way you have the power to perform redistricting in most states is to win elections. You're acknowledging that the Republicans are winning elections at the State level.
Personally I think one of the more useful amendments to the Constitution would be to limit Congressional district boundaries to something like no more than 6 line segments, the longest of which can be no more than 2x the others.
I think you're missing something.
Blame the Shutdown on James Madison - Gridlock is a feature, not a bug, of our system of separated powers.
Great link! Now if only they would make more nixie tubes. They make cool clocks.
Your post is somewhat amusing since my account is older than yours by a fair amount.
.
Hmmm, well then, it appears that didn't work out the way you planned. I feel amused, not insulted. Of course the important thing is that even if I had felt insulted, that still wouldn't alter the facts. I am slightly curious though, what is it that you think is odd about the post, since it is simply factual information. Is it the implication which might clash with your preconceptions? Or perhaps the unexpected nature of it? Or you just don't like it?
Hmmm, that appears to be correct.
US Exports at the Census bureau.
Due to the lapse in government funding, census.gov sites, services, and all online survey collection requests will be unavailable until further notice.
Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at usa.gov.
Websites affected by this shutdown are all census.gov hosted websites, including:
Census.gov
American Factfinder
Public API
FTP Servers
FAQs
Blogs
Online Surveys
Federal Statistical Organization websites: FCSM, FedStats and MapStats
Why would you stop access to the data but leave the server running?
Well then, if you think human life is valuable you should be thankful that the US helped to defend the world from the real monsters. The US and its allies didn't defend themselves empty handed.
The Black Book of Communism - The review from American Enterprise.
The Soviet Story - trailer (You should probably watch the entire thing some day.)
A Portrait of Stalin: Secret Police